I feel the need to say upfront that I’m very biased about Lean In because I’m such a Sheryl Sandberg fan. A woman who works incredibly hard, constantly challenges herself and uses the awareness that her position has brought about as a platform to discuss important topics in the world such as women in leadership and grief – what’s more inspiring than that?

I talked a year ago about the book The Little Paris Bookshop where the protagonist was a book apothecary (he prescribed books for people for what they need in that moment of their lives). Lean In is the book that would be prescribed for me.

A post shared by Caitlin (@wandererandwolf) on Jun 17, 2017 at 10:24am PDT

I’ve been struggling recently trying to find meaning, my path and passions but so often get completely overwhelmed and bogged down. I’m a constant rambler but in this instance, I don’t know how to completely explain why Lean In inspired me but it did. It didn’t inspire me to go out, study business and join a tech company but it inspired me to keep going when I become overwhelmed.

To read about the shifts in her career path, was a firm representation of the fact that what your job is now does not limit you for your future career.

She shares her own fears and insecurities bringing about the realization that we’re all human. The person in an entry level and the person with the corner office still has work pressures and fears but that’s okay! It’s in our humanity.

Mostly she inspired me with her advice. I’ve tried to consciously make little changes here and there. Since reading her book, I’ve stopped asking for projects and started brainstorming creative solutions to present to my boss. I’ve found a professor who’s career I admire and put in hours of extra work for his class. I’ve begun asking for more feedback and trying to be an active listener.

I don’t think it’s a book exclusively for those who want to climb the career jungle gym. She’s an enjoyable writer and much of what she says is transferable to many areas of life.

Putting my bias aside, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommended it.

Have you read Lean In or Option B? Did she inspire you as much as she’s inspired me?